Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to a bipolar electrosurgical instrument configured to provide controlled deep tissue desiccation. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to an electrosurgical instrument that includes a pair of electrodes and a movable floating electrode that enables a surgeon to effectively control tissue desiccation.
Description of Related Art
Electrosurgical devices, such as surface tissue desiccation devices are well known in the medical arts and typically include a handset with an on/off switch, a shaft, and at least one electrode operatively coupled to a distal end of the shaft that is configured to perform an electrosurgical procedure, such as surface or deep tissue desiccation. Such electrosurgical devices utilize electrical energy to effectuate hemostasis and desiccation by heating the tissue and blood vessels. Such devices include electrocautery pencils, forceps, and probes of various types and configurations from a number of different manufacturers. The algorithms used with these electrosurgical devices in surgical treatments typically seek to provide a desired amount of delivered energy in accordance with the power level and duration specified by the surgeon.
Electrosurgical devices which utilize this electrical energy for performing deep tissue coagulation and desiccation during orthopedic procedures, such as spinal and joint replacement surgery, may have drawbacks which influence surgical outcomes. For example, a typical issue is the inability of a surgeon to reliably and selectively control tissue treatment depth during desiccation procedures. It has been observed that during desiccation procedures, surgeons tend to manipulate tissue with the electrodes of the device to retract and separate tissue. This technique, however, may extend operative times and/or cause unsatisfactory results due to varying contact area between the electrode and tissue as the instrument is manipulated.